The ACT government wants out of Comcare, believing it can create a better, faster, cheaper system for its own public servants. Eric Abetz doesn’t blame them, but what will he do to fix the federal workplace insurer?

Last week’s announcement that the ACT government will develop its own public service workers’ compensation scheme rather than stick with Comcare has brought long-standing criticism of the federal government’s workplace insurer back into the open.

While the territory government has barely begun hammering out the new scheme, its ministers are confident they can create one that costs much less. Given Comcare’s premiums have skyrocketed 180% in nine years, it seems they have taken some solid advice.

Australian Lawyers’ Alliance ACT branch president Phil Schubert — who immediately applauded the decision to go it alone — believes the new scheme could also easily achieve outcomes that are far more satisfactory from the point of view of both employers and employees making claims.

Employment Minister Eric Abetz doesn’t blame the ACT’s Labor government for getting sick of paying the massive fees. He told The Mandarin:

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